Game wardens and the 4th amendment

[Swells]

Yes I agree with that, since I never over-fish and always have my license - which is good 'til the end of August. Most of the guys and gals in the TPWD game warden division are very courteous. Not only that, then there are sea turtle strandings and such, they help out. They are one of the lead agencies to respond to boater incidents and accidents, along with the Coasties and local yokels. They help bust smugglers, poachers, and drug runners. They are there to protect you - and if some jerk is acting dangerous or causing a horrible dangerous wake, they're there to help you. Haven't ran into a bad one yet.

If I ain't driving the boat, I'll crack a beer and have my license ready - and offer 'em a coke or a water. They never accept it but usually say "thanks" and "have a nice day."

[boom]

Game wardens are always welcome at our place. Any other state, local, and federal employees must bring a warrant. It says so at the gate.

[Robalo]

They have the same power as Border Patrol. I have had issue with some being an *** by running full speed into our wade, then churning the only green water around, then checking us again-I think he smoked some confiscated sheeit and was uckfayed uppay or something. Had one tell me my boat registration was expired-it wasn't, she didn't know what year it was. They have a tough job, but generally are courteous on most occassions.


As far as comments "Well if you are legal, let them search." Try visiting or driving through San jacinto County in the 1970s when Sheriff Humpy Parker and his major drug dealer son planted dope on folks, "searched" your girlfriend (cavity searches) for fun and violated your rights and her body. If you think letting Law Enforcement have their way because you got nothing to hide, well YOU ARE WRONG!! You just "Hid" your constitutional rights and they farging stole them!! Folks that say crap like "Why not let him rummage through your car since ya aint smuggling dope." are a big part of the reason that Law Enforcement may abuse their rights and therefore, abuse YOU. Wait til you wait 2 hours while they have ya sit on the side of the road ripping your car apart and going through your wife's undies and personal items-bullchit. Use your rights-they are gauranteed!! You someday will be farged over by some bad law enforcement officer-then go tell folks how much you enjoyed having a rubber-gloved finger up your azz.

[Swells]

Man, who put the gunpowder in Robalo's Cheerios this morning?

[Robalo]

Humpy Parker got some of my buddies-his son actually was puking out the window at 100 mph down the road, threatened to shoot my buddies dog, "searched" his GF and planted dope on my buddy (my buddy said some drunk was tailgating him with brights on-the drunk was the Sheriff's son in a sheriiff car-son was a deputy and my bud flipped the tailgater the bird, then the red lights went on and other deputy said "Ya done messed up and flipped the bird at the sheriff's son."). They called Texas Rangers and FBI on Humpy and son and while in Jail also heard some nice torturing going on while waiting on pay off money to get out. Even Hollywood made a movie about it-called "Terror on Highway 69" (changed from Hwy 59). Ya couldn't drive to S.F.A. from Houston without going through San Jac County. If ya had a "KLOL" sticker, ya likely were pulled over and searched just because you had a rock n roll radio station sticker on your car/truck.

I respect most LEOs and hate to see or hear of bad ones and have run into a few bad apples but a lot of good ones as well. Just maintain your rights or ya may lose them altogether!!

You're right swells-look at the obama kid that commented on concern for BHO after Bin Laden was killed-the SS wrere all over his azz-was a little kid concerned about the pres. They can see all emails and listen to any phone call.

[rha]

Game Wardens have the same general police powers as a DPS officer or sheriff deputy under Texas law. In addition, they have the right to inspect containers or receptacles that are used to store game or wildlife. Residences and vehicles on public roads are exempt. As to boats they have the right to randomly stop and inspect without probable cause for safety compliance. In a prior life was an assistant DA in Harris County and had occassion to handle violations in JP court. GW worked hard to enforce conservation laws.

[JT]

theyve always been welcome up here in Wheelock as well.

We had one as neighbor on the back side (Roy Moss) and we'd go pick up up and take him around with us after he retired and was pretty much on his last leg. They have a different attitude in rurual areas vs. populated areas like the coast wherein you have a alot of wise butts, smart ***$$es, and white trash that dont give a sheet about game. They know our place is pretty much a game reserve and everythings protected.

And the local sheriff, constable etc are welcome also. The only folks that arent would be a revenue agent or obnoxious aggie (and there are plenty of them around here.)

[FlatoutFishin]

I'm glad we got em...without it would be a free for all ( more than now) amongst the scum that could give a rats patooey about conservation.

[Swells]

Right on, Flatout. I moved down to Texas in 1976 and was amazed that some of these folks living in the hills still "lived off the fat of the land." They had deer, catfish, bass, all year long, practiced night light hunting and bobwire jumping, and used giant nets for fishing. One old boy had a beer joint, a whore house in three trailers, and an alligator farm, for goodness sake. Down here by the coast, same deal except the fish was red drum and trout. Friday was fish fry night and it was all illegal fish. Yep, this ex-Yankee was pretty impressed!

Funny, I didn't even know the rules, and ended up helping them out sometimes.

About 1980 the game wardens seem to come around more and more. A bunch of cedar choppers and South Texas trash ended up in jail and probation. The "Rocking V" and other houses of ill repute were closed down, the deer chili was no mas, and the alligators were sent to a zoo (no more fried gater tail, boo). The pound and gill nets were eventually confiscated. Got checked for my first Texas fishing license about then, lucky I got one at the old bait camp on the way to the lake.

I sort of miss the old days - not the rampant poaching but those old beer joints, bait camps, and run-down lodges. Sure they had their fights about women or family feuds but they were above all really nice people. You could be an "honorary Texan" Yankee, hippie, or even a city boy and as long as you didn't have any attitude and bought a round now and then, we was blood brothers. That's missing now, maybe a few rich boys who try to carry out the dream on high fence ranches and expensive battlewagon boats. And if you see the game warden enforcement report, a few people are still trying to live off the fat of the land. But it's different now. There's a thousand regulations when there were one a couple back then - be careful and eat what you kill.

[Oleander Kayaker]

I'm glad we got em...without it would be a free for all ( more than now) amongst the scum that could give a rats patooey about conservation.

x10 !!